scholarly journals The Chemoautotrophically Based Movile Cave Groundwater Ecosystem, a Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 128
Author(s):  
Traian Brad ◽  
Sanda Iepure ◽  
Serban M. Sarbu
Keyword(s):  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Water Surface ◽  
Energy Input ◽  
Free Swimming ◽  
Invertebrate Species ◽  
Microbial Biofilms ◽  
Oxidation Of Hydrogen ◽  
Aquatic Food ◽  
Movile Cave

Movile Cave hosts one of the world’s most diverse subsurface invertebrate communities. In the absence of matter and energy input from the surface, this ecosystem relies entirely on in situ primary productivity by chemoautotrophic microorganisms. The energy source for these microorganisms is the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide provided continuously from the deep thermomineral aquifer, alongside methane, and ammonium. The microbial biofilms that cover the water surface, the cave walls, and the sediments, along with the free-swimming microorganisms, represent the food that protists, rotifers, nematodes, gastropods, and crustacean rely on. Voracious water-scorpions, leeches, and planarians form the peak of the aquatic food web in Movile Cave. The terrestrial community is even more diverse. It is composed of various species of worms, isopods, pseudoscorpions, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, springtails, diplurans, and beetles. An updated list of invertebrate species thriving in Movile Cave is provided herein. With 53 invertebrate species (21 aquatic and 32 terrestrial), of which 38 are endemic for this unusual, but fascinating environment, Movile Cave is the first known chemosynthesis-based groundwater ecosystem. Therefore, Movile Cave deserves stringent attention and protection.

The English–Wabigoon River System: V. Mercury and Selenium Bioaccumulation as a Function of Aquatic Primary Productivity

1983 ◽  
Vol 40 (12) ◽  
pp. 2251-2259 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. M. Rudd ◽  
Michael A. Turner
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
River System ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Aquatic Food Chain ◽  
Mercury Bioaccumulation ◽  
Aquatic Food ◽  
Stimulation Of

An experiment was carried out in four 100-m3 in situ enclosures to determine the effect of primary production rate on mercury and selenium concentrations of biota and to test the possibility of ameliorating mercury pollution problems by increasing ecosystem primary productivity. Two enclosures were controls. Primary productivity in a third enclosure was increased fourfold by addition of NaNO3 and NaH2PO4. This stimulation was not sufficient to change pH although the growth rate of fish was enhanced. In this enclosure, mercury concentrations in pearl dace (Semotilus margarita) whole body and muscle samples increased two- and five-fold, respectively, exceeding the dilution of mercury by the enhanced growth rates. In the fourth enclosure, at the highest rate of nutrient addition, primary productivity was increased ninefold, pH was elevated from about 7.9 to 9.2, and the growth rate of fish was stimulated. In this case, the elevation of pH retarded the rate of mercury bioaccumulation in comparison with the enclosure of intermediate productivity. Based on these results, stimulation of primary productivity is not recommended as a mercury ameliorating procedure. Stimulation of primary productivity resulted in a general decrease in the concentration of selenium in the aquatic food chain probably resulting from dilution of selenium by enhanced growth rates of fish and other biota.

Nanostructure of a Photochromic Polymer/Liquid Crystal Hybrid Monolayer on a Water Surface Observed by in Situ X-ray Reflectometry

Langmuir ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 3875-3879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keitaro Kago ◽  
Takahiro Seki ◽  
Randolf R. Schücke ◽  
Emiko Mouri ◽  
Hideki Matsuoka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Crystal ◽  
Water Surface ◽  
Polymer Liquid ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Photochromic Polymer ◽  
Polymer Liquid Crystal

scholarly journals Simulating Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Sichuan Grassland Net Primary Productivity Using the CASA Model and In Situ Observations

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuanjiang Tang ◽  
Xinyu Fu ◽  
Dong Jiang ◽  
Jingying Fu ◽  
Xinyue Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Net Primary Productivity ◽  
Alpine Meadow ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Light Use Efficiency ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Casa Model ◽  
Use Efficiency

Net primary productivity (NPP) is an important indicator for grassland resource management and sustainable development. In this paper, the NPP of Sichuan grasslands was estimated by the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model. The results were validated with in situ data. The overall precision reached 70%; alpine meadow had the highest precision at greater than 75%, among the three types of grasslands validated. The spatial and temporal variations of Sichuan grasslands were analyzed. The absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (APAR), light use efficiency (ε), and NPP of Sichuan grasslands peaked in August, which was a vigorous growth period during 2011. High values of APAR existed in the southwest regions in altitudes from 2000 m to 4000 m. Light use efficiency (ε) varied in the different types of grasslands. The Sichuan grassland NPP was mainly distributed in the region of 3000–5000 m altitude. The NPP of alpine meadow accounted for 50% of the total NPP of Sichuan grasslands.

scholarly journals Regional hydrology controls stream microbial biofilms: evidence from a glacial catchment

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 497-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. Battin ◽  
A. Wille ◽  
R. Psenner ◽  
A. Richter
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Heterogeneity ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Detection Rates ◽  
Stream Communities ◽  
Stream Discharge ◽  
Carbon Production ◽  
Microbial Biofilms ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Alpine Stream

Abstract. Glaciers are highly responsive to global warming and important agents of landscape heterogeneity. While it is well established that glacial ablation and snowmelt regulate stream discharge, linkage among streams and streamwater hydrogeochemistry, the controls of these factors on stream microbial biofilms remain insufficiently understood. We investigated glacial (metakryal, hypokryal), groundwater-fed (krenal) and snow-fed (rhithral) streams – all of them representative for alpine stream networks – and present evidence that these hydrologic and hydrogeochemical factors differentially affect sediment microbial biofilms. Average microbial biomass and bacterial carbon production were low in the glacial streams, whereas bacterial cell size, biomass, and carbon production were higher in the tributaries, most notably in the krenal stream. Whole-cell in situ fluorescence hybridization revealed reduced detection rates of the Eubacteria and higher abundance of α-Proteobacteria in the glacial stream, a pattern that most probably reflects the trophic status of this ecosystem. Our data suggest low flow during the onset of snowmelt and autumn as a short period (hot moment) of favorable environmental conditions with pulsed inputs of allochthonous nitrate and dissolved organic carbon, and with disproportional high microbial growth. Krenal and rhithral streams with more constant and favorable environments serve as possible sources of microbes and organic matter to the main glacial channel during periods (e.g. snowmelt) of elevated hydrologic linkage among streams. Ice and snow dynamics have a crucial impact on microbial biofilms, and we thus need better understanding of the microbial ecology and enhanced consideration of critical hydrological episodes in future models predicting alpine stream communities.

scholarly journals Estimation of the Particulate Organic Carbon to Chlorophyll-a Ratio Using MODIS-Aqua in the East/Japan Sea, South Korea

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dabin Lee ◽  
SeungHyun Son ◽  
HuiTae Joo ◽  
Kwanwoo Kim ◽  
Myung Joon Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Particulate Organic Carbon ◽  
Chlorophyll A ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Seasonal Variability ◽  
Japan Sea ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities

In recent years, the change of marine environment due to climate change and declining primary productivity have been big concerns in the East/Japan Sea, Korea. However, the main causes for the recent changes are still not revealed clearly. The particulate organic carbon (POC) to chlorophyll-a (chl-a) ratio (POC:chl-a) could be a useful indicator for ecological and physiological conditions of phytoplankton communities and thus help us to understand the recent reduction of primary productivity in the East/Japan Sea. To derive the POC in the East/Japan Sea from a satellite dataset, the new regional POC algorithm was empirically derived with in-situ measured POC concentrations. A strong positive linear relationship (R2 = 0.6579) was observed between the estimated and in-situ measured POC concentrations. Our new POC algorithm proved a better performance in the East/Japan Sea compared to the previous one for the global ocean. Based on the new algorithm, long-term POC:chl-a ratios were obtained in the entire East/Japan Sea from 2003 to 2018. The POC:chl-a showed a strong seasonal variability in the East/Japan Sea. The spring and fall blooms of phytoplankton mainly driven by the growth of large diatoms seem to be a major factor for the seasonal variability in the POC:chl-a. Our new regional POC algorithm modified for the East/Japan Sea could potentially contribute to long-term monitoring for the climate-associated ecosystem changes in the East/Japan Sea. Although the new regional POC algorithm shows a good correspondence with in-situ observed POC concentrations, the algorithm should be further improved with continuous field surveys.

A Comparison of Liquid Scintillation and Geiger–Müller Estimates of Primary Productivity in an in situ Experiment

1973 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 708-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Ward ◽  
Masami Nakanishi
Keyword(s):  
Light Intensity ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Liquid Scintillation ◽  
Lake Biwa ◽  
In Situ Experiment ◽  
M Estimate ◽  
M Estimates ◽  
Loss Rates

For an in situ experiment conducted in Shiozu Bay, Lake Biwa, Japan, primary productivity estimates from liquid scintillation radioactivity counts of wet algae were generally higher than those from Geiger–Müller radioactivity counts of desiccated algae. Values at 0 m were similar, the G–M estimate at 0.5 m was 10% higher, but from 3 to 13 m the liquid scintillation values ranged from 11 to 33% higher than G–M estimates. The 20-m estimates were low and similar. Differences were caused primarily by 14C losses during desiccation prior to G–M counting. Increasing loss rates between 0.5 and 3.0 m may have been caused by decreasing light intensity. On the basis of surface area, the estimate from liquid scintillation data was 27% greater than that obtained from G–M data.

The locomotion of the comatulid Florometra serratissima (Echinodermata: Crinoidea) and its adaptive significance

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 942-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D. Shaw ◽  
A. R. Fontaine
Keyword(s):  
Invertebrate Species ◽  
Behavioral Adaptations ◽  
Feeding Modes ◽  
Contact Behaviour ◽  
Primary Means ◽  
Oral Surface ◽  
Functional Regionalization ◽  
Ambient Currents ◽  
Made In

Swimming and crawling activities are described from observations made in situ during SCUBA diving and in aquaria. Initial vertical swimming lifts the crinoid to 29 cm mean height. Subsequently, horizontal swimming displaces the crinoid, oral surface foremost, at a mean speed of 6.8 cm/s. Horizontal swimming is achieved by differential arm extension. Behavioral adaptations make use of ambient currents to augment displacement. Swimming mechanics are based on sequential repetition of arm strokes made approximately simultaneously by three coordinated groups of arms, verified experimentally by selective arm removal. The Reynolds number while swimming is calculated to be 8112, with a drag coefficient of 0.0148. Swimming occurs in short, repeatable bursts of 10–30 s. Continuous swimming beyond 4 min provokes a refractory period lasting 5–17 min during which individuals are incapable of swimming. Spontaneous swimming was never observed in situ nor in aquaria, but was elicited by mechanical stimulation or contact with potential predators. Trials with 17 cooccurring invertebrate species of diverse feeding modes show that swimming is provoked by opportunistic carnivores, notably asteroids. Swimming is an escape response against potential predators. Crawling is the primary means of moving from place to place. Crawling is induced by directional currents and by intraspecific contact. Spacing out of individuals within an aggregation may be accomplished by crawling following agonistic contact behaviour. Functional regionalization of the arms is discussed in relation to autotomy and predation.

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